Question:

Would it be cool to hold our state wrestling tournament in a place where Bob Costas and NBC covers the setting of new world athletic records and which a four-time Olympic coach praises as the finest venue he has ever seen?

Just wondering.

Pray tell is there such a venue within our fabulous state's borders???

the answer to your question is of course.........NO

The answer is yes. It is a no-brainer.

It was a pretty impressive sight on the tube last night I must admit. The venue could not have looked better.
Now I wonder if we can convince them to turn the lights out and back up like they did and maybe run that green lit waterfall behind the medal stand. Or hang some banners around the edges like they had. OOPS I forgot that stuff is not allowed or not funded not sure which.
The venue is the best there is in the state, they just do not cater to a high school event. For crying out loud "the world was watching this competition" what did you expect to see?

What a bunch of glass half empty negetive people we have in this wrestling community!

The Qwest cetner is beautiful even during the wrestling season!

For all you fuddy duddies! Put up the finances and build your your own stadium if you do not like this one, hold your own state meet and you better make sure that you do not have any flaws, cause all of your buddies will eat your lunch if everything is not perfect!

189MOM, You might as well of said what you meant "if you don't agree with me your not welcome here."

189mom
Did I or did I not say it was impressive and could not have looked better.
The points on the banners, and lights were points of contention that most on here think would enhance the tournament.

And by the way we are putting up the finances and will welcome back the tournament when it is done, and I am betting those 2 guys at the top of this post will be some of the 1st to say "way to go Lincoln the tournament is home again" along with them pointing out all the flaws that will accompany the new facility just like those of us that have not appreciated the Qwest for all it is!
Nice place just not geared to the high school event (in my opinon). Heck I go there often for concerts and will be in the fine facility for Tom Petty and Brooks and Dunn with ZZ Top. I have no problem spending my $'s there.

AB

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hawk,

amen hawk

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- if the proposed new arena in Lincoln has a floor similar in size to the Qwest Center, I will not only support a move BACK to Lincoln, but would personally drive the U-Haul to carry everything back.

And as long as the new arena has the same amenities, including media accessibility, and doesn't employ the same crochety old farts that ALLEGEDLY were guarding the floor access at Devaney, I'm pretty sure you won't be hearing a single complaint out of me...with the possible exception of the gouging Lincoln hotels will engage in (and if you don't think they will, I have some CHEAP Arizona swampland for sale).

Dswitz, since you are chiding, and asking for opinions,...outstanding venue for a swim trials....as a venue for state wrestling,...not so much.

The Devaney Center is even worse. To small to hold the crowd. To small to put all 8 mats down properly. Poor sight lines, can't see some mats. Is that really what you want to go back to? I can live without our school banner if I get to see the competition.

The top 3 crowds of all time came at the Qwest. Sounds like the majority of the people agree the Qwest is better rather than a couple of complainers on here.

A couple complainers 05? I'd guess it's 50/50, and yes I'd go back to the Devaney in a heartbeat.You have your opinion, and I'll have mine.

I am sorry but I need some of you Pro-Devaney folks to please explain your position a little more.

My son wrestled in the state finals a couple years ago at the Devaney. Nothing more exciting than the walk watching your little boy out there with the best in state!!
I was at the Quest this past year and watched some of his old teammates do the same!

I loved the Devaney but had a hard time seeing some of the matches. I almost missed one of my son's matches because I had to run down to the railing to see his match. I also was there when the kid from Elkhorn got hurt because he got slammed into the wall.

Those 2 things make it obvious to me that the Quest is the better venue.

PS I know it should be spelled QWEST but I always loved " Johnny QUEST "

anyone who has wrestled and or coached will pick the quest because it is up to date facility for the boys. i have been in many venues and the devaney is the out of date. the warmup are, seating, and weighins were much easier to get to and compete! when was the last time the big twelve tournament held in devaney...

2000 -- it was the first in-state tournament I covered when I started NWI (although I was also there for the Norfolk paper covering Brad Vering).

The head of USA swimming was in the same spot as the Neb. wrestling community, that is- according to him- the sport needed something to exite people. He stated that the production put on by the Qwest folks "over-delivered" that kind of excitement generating production.

The same could happen at the state tourny if the NSAA wet-blankets would get out of the way and let professional production people do the job. Unusual to find ourselves at this spot though since most dictators know how to put on a great public mass production.

I have been reading post on which is better Devaney or Qwest for quite sometime now and I can't recall seeing a post from a wrestler so I figured it was time for one. After all if it wasn't for us wrestlers no one would be there...I had the privilege to wrestle in both arenas the Devany once (the last year there) and the Qwest three times. Both have their good points and bad.

Sure the Qwest might be up to date like 74kilos said with better facility's, but they do not keep it up for us wrestlers. I would often go to the locker rooms to shower or use the restrooms they were NEVER! clean, toilet paper everywhere except in the dispenser, toilets never worked, no paper to dry my hands and trash every where. Not the case at the Devaney..

Good work out rooms? umm are you kidding me? yeah if you want to wrestle in tore up mats that look like they came from the 70's, not to mention trying to wrestle around all the spilled McDonald's cups. Same goes with the weigh ins, there is NO room in there come Friday morning, also considering they send us down a FREZZING hallway in just our boxers! Not fun for anyone

Now on to what Red Dawg said, you thought it was hard for you to see your son? Imagine how my parents felt the two years I was in the state finals they sat clear in the NOSE BLEEDS! they had to bring binoculars in order to see me!
When my brother was in the finals at the Devaney you could see him WAY better! its always been tradition at my school when some one makes the state finals we paint their names on our chest in order to celebrate their accomplishment, can't do that at the Qwest.. (but that may be an NSAA rule not sure)

Having the Qwest center so close to Iowa a lot of people stay there I know my team did, takes money away from Nebraska.

People always bring up the fact that there is more room to warm up by the wrestling mat, that might be true but who cares, they only let you in there when your on deck by then you should be warmed up anyways..

And now for the final and best point... Wrestlers bust their butt in the wrestling room for about 4 months out of the year, but it dosn't end there for most they have to battle every minute of the day trying to lose weight and they all know its worth it in the end. My team has placed in the top 2 the past 3 years at the Qwest, when we are awarded our trophy at the end of the night us wrestlers and our parents are shewed off the floor in minutes. We work so hard for this little piece of glory and they won't give us the time of day to celebrate it because they are to worried about selling tickets for the Creighton basketball game later that night. SHOW SOME RESPECT!

It might be nice for you fans, but they don't treat the wrestlers (the reason why you come) worth a dang!

Interesting to say the least WADE, Thanks for the insight!

Have to agree with ya DSWITZ on the wet blankets not allowing production. The place could be so much more than it is for the wrestlers and the fans!

Have a safe and happy holiday everyone!

I agree with all of your points Wade. The warmup area is a joke. You have 8 like new mats out on the floor, and nobody can supply a couple decent warmup mats? I mean come on, borrow mats from the Bellevue schools, or some other school in the metro area. Also, crank up the heat in the back room. Anytime I went to warmup, it was always freezing cold, and I had to stand in front of the space heater in the warmup area just to get a sweat broke, which I lost in the walk clear across to mat 8, when the warm up area is in the other corner. I think multiple warmup spots would be great.